Sources told Postmedia Friday that league officials visited the site recently to size up the venue for a potential outdoor game on Dec. 19, 2017 between the Senators and Montreal Canadiens to mark the 100th anniversary of the first NHL game played in Ottawa.

As Postmedia confirmed Thursday, discussions between the NHL, the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group and the city are now taking place to see if a deal can be finalized by mid-January to hold a game at the facility, which will be expanded to 35,000 seats to host the 2017 Grey Cup on Nov. 26, 2017.

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk threw his support behind an outdoor game at TD Place not long after the federal government rejected a bid to play on Parliament Hill but he will still have to sign off on the deal once the negotiations are done between the NHL, the city and OSEG.

Though the possibility of playing a game at Parliament has been ruled out because the federal government didn’t think it would work logistically, don’t be surprised if the Hill plays some sort of role in the festivities because Canada will also be celebrating its 150th birthday.

The talks on all of this are still in the preliminary stages but it’s expected the league will get down to brass tacks soon with OSEG, the city and the feds to see how this can all be brought together. Melnyk understands the importance of this game to the city and wants to make sure it works.

WAITING ON ANDY

The Senators aren’t sure if they’re going to have goaltender Craig Anderson back for Saturday’s visit by the Florida Panthers to the Canadian Tire Centre. It appears — at this point — backup Mike Condon should be ready to make the start to close out this three-game homestand. Anderson was given a leave of absence Wednesday to be with his wife Nicholle as her treatments for throat cancer continued at a New York-based hospital. The Senators cancelled practice Friday but Anderson wasn’t scheduled to be there anyway. If he isn’t on hand, he’ll likely join the team in Pittsburgh on Monday as the Senators open a four-game trip against the Penguins. As GM Pierre Dorion has pointed out several times, the situation is “fluid” and Anderson can take as much time as he needs with his family. He won’t get any pressure from the organization to return after Anderson came back at Nicholle’s urging in October. Once Anderson does return, the Senators will likely return Andrew Hammond to their AHL affiliate in Binghamton.

BIG CHANCE FOR ENGLUND

After losing blueliner Fredrik Claesson with a hip injury Thursday, the Senators have recalled defenceman Andreas Englund, 20, from their AHL affiliate in Binghamton. If Marc Methot isn’t ready to return, the Swedish rookie could make his debut. Dorion told TSN 1200 on Friday that Englund deserved the chance to be recalled after discussions with Binghamton coach Kurt Kleinendorst. “Kurt has said Andreas has been our steadiest and probably our best defenceman (in Binghamton),” Dorion said. “I’ve always believed it’s on merit. It might be sooner than we wanted on Englund but if you deserve it, you should be here. We’re not sure he’s going to play because if Marc is ready, we’re going to go with our six regular guys. If he doesn’t then Andreas will get his first NHL game.” Englund was a second-round pick (40th) overall in the 2014 NHL entry draft.

THIS ’N’ THAT

The moves didn’t stop there on the off day. The Senators also sent winger Max McCormick back to Binghamton and recalled Buddy Robinson. “I just felt that we needed to give Buddy another shot here,” said Dorion, who added Robinson was given high praise by Kleinendorst and Binghamton assistant Steve Stirling. Dorion said the plan is to use Robinson on the right side with Kyle Turris and Ryan Dzingel to start the game while coach Guy Boucher will likely move winger Curtis Lazar back to the middle of the fourth line with Chris Kelly and Chris Neil ... An area where the Senators have shown improvement lately is on the power play and they got another goal from winger Mike Hoffman in the loss to the Flyers on Thursday. The club has climbed to No. 21 in the league. Just over a week ago, it was ranked No. 30. “If you can get (a power-play goal) on your chances, you have to be happy with that especially with the way it was going in the first part of the season,” said Hoffman. “It’s starting to turn around a little bit and it’s definitely one thing we can take away from this game.”

NHL, OSEG talking about Senators-Canadiens game at TD Place

Sources told Postmedia Friday that league officials visited the site recently to size up the venue for a potential outdoor game on Dec. 19, 2017 between the Senators and Montreal Canadiens to mark the 100th anniversary of the first NHL game played in Ottawa.

As Postmedia confirmed Thursday, discussions between the NHL, the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group and the city are now taking place to see if a deal can be finalized by mid-January to hold a game at the facility, which will be expanded to 35,000 seats to host the 2017 Grey Cup on Nov. 26, 2017.

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk threw his support behind an outdoor game at TD Place not long after the federal government rejected a bid to play on Parliament Hill but he will still have to sign off on the deal once the negotiations are done between the NHL, the city and OSEG.